Dispensing device for liquids and creams



Nov. 4, 1941. J. F. SULLIVAN DISPENSING DEVICE FOR LIQUIDS AND CREAMS Filed April 19, 1939 i nterried Nov. 4, 194:.

DISPENSING DEVICE FOR LIQUIDS AND CREAMS James F. Sullivan, Camden, N. J. Application April 19, 1939, Serial No. 268,733

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in dispensing means for liquids or semi-liquids, such as creams, lotions or liquid soaps or the like. The object of my invention is to provide a novel, simple, convenient, attractive and readily usable means of displaying containers of such liquids or creams and dispensing limited. quantities or samples of the contents to consumers or prospective customers therefor. My displaying and dispensing unit may, for instance, be set up on the counter of a drug or other store to attract the attention of patrons and furnish on the spot, by simple application of thumb and finger thereto, a sample of the liquid or cream to which it draws attention.

I attain the object of my invention by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a cream package unit as set up and in sample dispensing operation by the hand of a customer.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the dispensing head of the container shown in Figure l, but as .in.normal condition of outlet closure.

Figure 3 is a vertical plan of the dispensing head, broken away in part in section, showing the mouth opening and guide fin of the teat and assemblage of same in the threaded cou pling which attaches it to the container mouth.

Figure 4 is a vertical half section of the dispensing head as shown in Figure 3, showing the thickened wall formation at mouth of the teat and its radially flanged base as set in the threaded coupling or screw cap with perforated head which attaches it to the container.

Figure 5 is a month end plan of the dispensing teat showing the fine transverse slit in same and the side fin on the teat which denotes the direction of the slit, pressed open between the fingers.

In the drawing similar numerals refer to similar parts.

My dispensing unit consists of a support or base I which may be of wood, pasteboard or metal or other suitable material, on which is mounted the container 2, which may be of any suitable material or shape, but preferably of glass as shown herein, and transparent to show the contents, set at an angle of inversion on the supporting base which permits flow of the container contents to its head 3, and detachably secured on said base I by suitable retaining means, such as the spring clips 4 shown herein which engage the bottle neck. On the container head 3 is mounted, preferably by means of a 55- threaded coupling or .perforated screw cap 5, a dispensing teat 6 which is of rubber or similar resilient substance, cylindrical in shape and having a flange! extended radially of its base margin which fits within the head of the threaded coupling 5. On the threaded coupling 5, a mark I2 is placed to indicate the proper relative positions of bottle, cap and dispensing nozzle. On the cylindrical body of the dispensing teat, longitudinally thereof and extending from base flange l and of a suitable length is a fin 8, designed to indicate proper position of the teat in assembly to the container head. Extending across the tip of said teat, through a thick body 9 of rubber formed thereat for the purpose and cut by a thin sharp instrument is a dispensing slit III, which is' normally held tightly closed by the resilient pressure of the thick, reinforced rubber body in which the incision is made, the said incision I8 is made in alignment with the guide fin 8 on the teat exterior and is adapted to open when the thick bodied teat head is squeezed between thumb and finger as shown in Figure l,- longitudinally of the said incision. The thick, reinforced wall of the teat head, through which the incised slit is made, thus combines with the thin out of the slit to form a simple valve outlet that is normally tightly closed yet is instantly openable by thumb andv finger compression of the head in the line of the slit, to which line the fin 8 is a guide. The fin 8 also affords a guide to position when making the slit incision, and indicates the proper fitting of coupling 5 to the container head and proper position of the container in the dispensing unit set-up. It being understood that the proper angular disposition of the slit relative to the flat side of the bottle is important as the latter determines the tilted disposition of the assembly to enable the natural squeeze of the teat as indicated in Fig. 1. The squeeze for effectiveness must be in the line of theslit to cause it to open, and the guide fin B facilitates proper alignment and subsequent proper location of the points of compression by the user. It also lines up with the mark [2, having predetermined angular disposition on the bottleneck, to indicate the relation of guide 8 and slit I0 and mark I2 as in a single common plane normal to the flat wall of the bottle.

The supportingrbase or stand I may be' made adjustable, as by means of the pedestal dovetail hinge and set screw traversing same, shown at H, to support the bottle or container used at predetermined inclination to accord with the fluidity and rate of flow of its contents, thus ensuring the desirable gravity ieeding oi the same to the dispensing outlet in the head.

The stand i may also bear advertising matter and directions, and obviously the container and its label are displayed position of presentation in the dispensing unit.

It will be evident that various changes in construction from the embodiment oi my invention that is shown herein may be made without de-. parting from the spirit of the invention.

The operation of my dispensing and displaying unit is obviously very simple. The container being filled and placed in dispensing position and the unit set up in a convenient place, say on a bath-room shelf, dresser, store counter or showcase, the patron whose attention is attracted to it simply presses the teat head between thumb and finger or hand in the direction indicated by the guide fin, and thus opens the dispensing slit in the teat head, thereby releasing a certain amount of the container contents upon the hand operating it.

I claim:

1. In a fluid dispenser, a container having seto advantage by their thick muzzle of said nozzle, a guide fin on the.

nozzle body lying in a plane containing the slot to indicate the position and directionof said dispensing slit, and a mark on said cap-to indicate the proper relative positions of said bottle, cap and dispensing nozzle in set-up assemblage when they each lie in the said plane.

3. In dispensing devices a hollow rubber nipple having thin .walls and a relatively thicker end, a guide rib formed longitudinally on the external surfacev of the nipple, and a transverse cured to the mouth thereof by a threaded cou- 25 pling, a rubber nozzle having a solid head with normally closed slot formed in the said thick end, said slot and said rib lying in a common plane containing the axis of the nipple.

JAMES F. SULLIVAN. 

